


Love in Snapshots

by ForMyBabies (BooksandKpop)



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/ForMyBabies
Summary: A day off wasn't a rarity, but it was a chance for Jaeyoon to search for inspiration. Having a friend keep him company was a bonus. Getting a boyfriend from a misunderstanding was just the cherry on top.
Relationships: Kim Seokwoo | Rowoon/Lee Jaeyoon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20
Collections: Round One: Ringing In The Fanfare





	Love in Snapshots

**Author's Note:**

> F040: “There's a random person on the street taking photos of couples for free and they grabbed both of us even though we're only friends but you aren't denying that we're a couple…”

Spring was his favourite season. The refreshing warmth that started to creep back into the weather slowly but surely, day-by-day. Longer days, brighter evenings, trees and flowers coming back into bloom - it truly was the time for rebirth. 

Jaeyoon took a deep breath as he stepped out of his apartment building and felt the smile tug on the corner of his lips. Today was going to be a good day. 

Time-off wasn’t a rarity, but working part-time to put himself through grad school meant that whenever he had free time he usually felt like it needed to be spent studying or something. Not today. Today was his Day Off. Capitalisation necessary and enforced on his office calendar. Sanghyuk threw a pencil at his head as he left yesterday evening, on time for once, and told him to enjoy his long weekend. Jaeyoon promised he would. 

He had his Friday all planned out. With no alarm, he got to sleep in for an extra hour and a half. Breakfast had been pancakes made from scratch with mixed fruit and fresh-squeezed orange juice, he had a shower that wasn’t rushed and now he was walking to the park at a leisurely pace, enjoying the sunshine that was peeking through the clouds. The cherry blossoms were starting to bloom, so he had planned to take a stroll around the park and the river, maybe find some inspiration for his writing.

His hobby of writing short-stories had taken a serious hit when he started grad school. Now when he came home he was too exhausted from typing academic work all day to pull out his notebook and continue jotting down his own story ideas. The longer it went on, Jaeyoon had lost a lot of his inspiration and motivation to write. Today though, he was feeling great, and if he could find a quiet spot in the park maybe he might just his creative vibes flowing. 

The park wasn’t too busy, most people were in work or school at this time so it was mostly tourists or other people taking time off. There was a fresh breeze blowing and Jaeyoon enjoyed the feeling of it ruffling his hair and pulling at his jacket. This was just what he needed, he could feel the stress melting off his shoulders the further into the park he went. 

Near the centre of the park was an ice-cream truck. Jaeyoon had a small lunch packed with him but it was his day off, so he deserved a treat. He ordered a vanilla soft serve cone with strawberry syrup, and while it was a little overpriced he didn’t mind. The ice-cream was sweet on his tongue as he ate, continuing his walk through the park. 

He had just finished his cone and was throwing the napkin into a nearby bin when he heard someone calling his name. Turning around, he spotted a tall man waving and jogging his way. 

“Seokwoo! What a nice surprise.”

When he caught up to Jaeyoon, Seokwoo had the faintest flush on his cheeks. It suited him, bringing out his eyes and strong features. They exchanged easy smiles as they began to talk. 

“I wasn’t sure if it was you or not, I would have been very embarrassed if I had run up to a total stranger.”

Laughing, Jaeyoon took in his friend’s appearance. He was dressed casually, but even casual clothes looked amazing on Seokwoo. Fitted jeans tucked into combat boots, a v-neck sweater and a long coat on top; he looked every bit the model he worked as. 

“Well, it’s me. Are you headed somewhere nice?”

They began to walk again, side-by-side. Jaeyoon had to crane his neck slightly to look up at Seokwoo. Had he grown again since the last time they saw one another? He wouldn’t be surprised, it had been a few months since Chani’s birthday. Seokwoo rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly. 

“I’m actually ditching work.”

At Jaeyoon’s exaggerated gasp Seokwoo laughed a little louder. It was cute, his laugh always puts a smile on Jaeyoon’s face.

“There is this really pushy model in studio today and she is a nightmare to work with. Every two minutes she is either yelling at staff or complaining about how much of a downgrade it was from her last job.”

Seokwoo began to rant about this awful woman he had spent the last three hours dealing with. Jaeyoon simply listened and made appropriate noises when required. He understood, sometimes you just needed to get it all off your chest. It wasn’t a burden at all, hearing Seokwoo’s voice was always pleasant, even when he was cursing out a co-worker. 

“- and I just couldn’t take it anymore so I excused myself to go to the bathroom and walked out of the building.”

He took a deep breath as he finished and Jaeyoon simply reached one hand up to pat him on the shoulder. In return he got a soft smile and a calmer looking Seokwoo walking next to him. They chatted about other things then, catching up on their lives since they last met and pointing out cute dogs that were running around the park. It was pleasant, Jaeyoon liked this just as much as walking on his own. 

“Did you want to join me for lunch? I brought a small picnic.”

They had reached the clearing in the centre of the park, grass sprawling out around them with a small lake to one side. There were a few people playing frisbee or soccer on the green, but there was more than enough space for them to sit if they wanted to. Scattered around at the benches and tables dotting the edge of the clearing were couples and people with young kids, also enjoying the nice weather. Seokwoo agreed happily to sit on the grass and they chose a spot near the edge, laying down their jackets to sit on. 

Jaeyoon always packed too much food. In this case, it was not a bad thing. He and Seokwoo happily tucked into their sandwiches and fruit slices, conversation flowing easily between them. Seokwoo told him about what he had dubbed “The Chani-Taeyang Spring Fall-Out” which had been a not so great time for him, being Chani’s tutor and Taeyang’s roommate. But he promised it was all resolved now, the two younger students made up and were firm friends again. That was good, Jaeyoon nodded, but it made him realise how long it had been since he saw some of their mutual friends. 

After they had finished their food they continued to lounge on the grass, small bursts of conversation and anecdotes joined by comfortable silence. Jaeyoon hadn’t really known Seokwoo for all that long, it had probably been about a year by now. They met at some party Inseong had thrown, celebrating his new job that they all knew he was going to get anyway. But Sanghyuk had dragged him out of their shared office in the university and made him get dressed up to go out. It had been a fun night, getting to meet some of Inseong’s other friends such as Taeyang, Chani, and of course Seokwoo. Jaeyoon had already known Inseong’s boyfriend Youngbin, and Sanghyuk’s younger cousin Youngkyun came along too. Juho had been the one friend that knew no one other than Inseong, but he had fit right into the madness. 

Seokwoo’s phone ringing shocked them out of their little bubble. He groaned and pouted when he saw it was his manager, most certainly wondering why he was taking so long in the bathroom. Jaeyoon just laughed and gently pushed his shoulder, encouraging him to answer it. Seokwoo stuck his tongue out before standing up and walking a short distance away to take the call. 

The weather was just perfect, and Jaeyoon let his eyes drop closed and just listen to the calm sounds of nature around him. A smile fixed itself to his face and he enjoyed the gentle warmth the afternoon sun was casting on his face. A bubbly voice jolted him out of his reverie, and he looked around for its source. He spotted a young woman, probably still in university, with a large camera in hand as she was chatting enthusiastically to an elderly couple sitting on a stone bench off to another side of the green. 

Jaeyoon couldn’t quite make out her words but he watched as the older man nodded and the student bounced happily in place before taking a few steps back and began taking photographs. It was quite cute, how the couple were posing together as they had their photograph taken. It made him feel butterflies in his stomach. After a bit she put her camera down and pulled out a notepad, handing it to the couple and exchanging some more words with them. That reminded Jaeyoon of his own notebook tucked away in his bag, and he felt a flash of inspiration hit him. 

He could still hear the bubbly voice of the student as she ran around the park with her camera, but Jaeyoon had turned most of his attention to his notebook. It was the first time in months he had actually written anything, so he turned to a fresh page and just let his words run away with him. Mostly it was just poetic descriptions of spring scenery and flowery language to describe the feeling of being happy and relaxed in the moment, but Jaeyoon didn’t mind. It felt good to write again, and he was sure he could use some of this as filler or imagery in some of his stories in future. He was so caught up in writing that he didn’t notice Seokwoo returning. Only when he felt fingers brushing through his hair did he look up, and saw his taller friend smiling down at him. Even from this angle, he looked good. 

“Unfortunately, I have to go back.”

There was a pout in his voice that made Jaeyoon giggle. Seokwoo’s hand was still in his hair, thumb brushing the top of his ear. It felt nice, soothing. Jaeyoon’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and then he heard a click. 

“Sorry! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt but that was just one of those moments that are so real you know? They’re not the same when you ask people to pose like that, they have to be captured candidly.”

Jaeyoon dropped his head from looking up at Seokwoo to the young university student standing a short distance away from them. She had her camera in hand, pointed right at them, and a sheepish smile on her face. Behind him, Seokwoo just laughed and bent down to pick up his jacket from the grass. 

“It’s alright.”

Seokwoo’s hand brushed Jaeyoon’s as he reached for the bag to start putting away the tupperware boxes he had brought lunch in. The heat of it travelled the whole way up Jaeyoon’s arm and spread across his chest. He smiled at Seokwoo and reached out to fix the collar on his jacket, brushing some loose blades of grass from his shoulders. They heard another click, and both of their eyes moved to the student again.

“Sorry! Again. You guys are just such good subjects! You’re both so handsome and you look great together, my camera wants to take your photos all by itself.”

She was very nervous, Jaeyoon realised. He would estimate she was around Youngkyun and Chani’s age, short blonde hair twitching in the gentle breeze. He offered her a calming smile, and he heard Seokwoo chuckle. 

“Well, I am a model so I’d like to think that cameras like me.”

Jaeyoon rolled his eyes as he tucked away his notebook and stood up from the grass. The student was hopping from one foot to the next, her camera still pointing towards them. 

“So, what are you taking photographs for?”

Her face lit up at the question and it made Jaeyoon smile brighter, he always loved seeing people’s enthusiasm for their work or interests. Seokwoo handed him his jacket and held the bag while Jaeyoon slipped his arms into the sleeves and straightened it out. 

“It’s for a university project! I’m majoring in Photography in FNCU just on the other side of the city. Our project was to choose a theme and a group of people and put together a portfolio that embodied those things.”

They both nodded at her and Seokwoo handed Jaeyoon his bag, which he swung over one shoulder without looking. The student quickly pulled out her notepad when she realised they were preparing to leave.

“Wait! Sorry, if you guys don’t want me to use those photos just say so and I’ll delete them. Otherwise could you please give me your names and a little bit about how you met so I can write up a description?”

Seokwoo nudged him with his elbow and Jaeyoon raised an eyebrow. They communicated silently for a moment before Seokwoo shrugged and smiled, reaching out for the notepad and pen the student was clutching tightly in one hand. 

“We don’t mind. What kind of description are you looking for?”  
“Just a bit about how you met, how you got together, how long you’ve been a couple. One of my ideas was to order the photos by relationship length, but I’m still not sure. I have to collect more photos before I decide on that.”

Jaeyoon had just finished writing his name beside Seokwoo’s when her words registered in his head. She thought that he and Seokwoo were - 

“You never actually told us what theme you chose.”

She gasped and apologised immediately, going slightly pink with embarrassment. Seokwoo took the pen and notepad back from Jaeyoon and began to write underneath their names. He just watched, mind still putting together the pieces.

“It’s definitely a bit cliché but since it’s springtime I decided to choose ‘couples’ as the group I was photographing. A lot of my classmates were doing the same, but they were all choosing ‘love’ as the theme to go with it so I decided to do something a little different.”

Love. Couple. Jaeyoon looked at Seokwoo’s profile as the afternoon sun highlighted the slope of his nose, the cut of his jaw, the gentle shine in his hair. 

“So I chose ‘comfort’ as my theme. I’ve been taking photos of couples who just look comfortable together. It also means that I can take photos of platonic couples too! Which is something that hopefully will stand out in my portfolio.”

Comfort. Jaeyoon was comfortable with Seokwoo, he supposed. Their personalities matched well together, they shared a lot of common interests and it was easy to spend time and talk to him. They weren’t a couple though. But Jaeyoon thought he wouldn’t mind if they were. He leaned closer to read the words Seokwoo had written on the page.

We met through a mutual friend at a party last year. Neither of us really wanted to be there, but in the end, we’re both glad we went. 

“There are a lot of couples out in the park today and with the sunshine and the cherry blossoms it really was just too good of an opportunity to pass up!”

I wanted to ask him out for a long time, but since we’re both really busy I never did. 

“I’m sorry I took your photos before asking your permission, by the way. But I just couldn’t help but want to capture the soft moment between you both because it’s so natural. When I ask people to pose sometimes they freeze up and the photo doesn’t turn out right.”

Maybe today would be our first date? If he wants it to be. I would be happy if he said yes.

Seokwoo was blushing, his eyes firmly fixed on the paper in front of him. The student across from them had stopped talking. Jaeyoon reached one hand up and grabbed Seokwoo’s chin, turning it gently towards himself. He followed easily, his gaze catching Jaeyoon’s and there was something nervous in them. 

“Yes.”

Before Seokwoo could say anything Jaeyoon reached up and softly pressed his lips to the taller man’s. He felt him gasp before pressing back, their kiss as tender as their feelings for one another. There was a click, and Jaeyoon smiled as he pulled away. Seokwoo was blushing even harder now, the colour travelling to the tips of his ears and creeping down his neck. In his chest, the warmth was curling tighter and blossoming into a flame. 

“Oh, can I use that one too?”

They both laughed. Seokwoo gently broke away from Jaeyoon’s hold and took a few steps forward to hand the notepad back to the student. She scanned through the words and then let out an exclamation of her own. 

“You weren’t a couple? Oh my goodness I’m so sorry! You just look so good and comfortable together, I should have asked first!”

She buried her face in her hands and Jaeyoon just laughed again. They hadn’t been a couple, but they were comfortable together. Although, now they were both. After a few more awkward apologies from the student, they ended up posing for a handful more photographs and she took off with a deep bow towards them. Both Seokwoo and Jaeyoon just smiled and wished her luck with the rest of her project. And then they were left alone.

“I really need to get back to the studio.”  
“I’ll walk with you.”

It was simple. Their hands linked together on instinct and they walked through the park at a brisk pace, but not too fast. Seokwoo still really didn’t want to go back. They giggled together as they shared admissions about their blossoming feelings for one another. Jaeyoon had always found the taller male attractive, but that wasn’t exactly a shock for the model. But they did just work well together and falling into a relationship felt natural.

They parted ways outside the studio building where Seokwoo pressed a soft kiss to Jaeyoon’s temple before running inside, calling goodbyes over his shoulder. Jaeyoon just smiled to himself and waved him off, waiting until he was no longer visible through the large glass windows before turning and making his way home. His mind was buzzing with the itch to write more, his newfound inspiration from the park doubled. He knew exactly what his next story was going to be about. 

Friends to Lovers. Fluff. A classic romantic cliché. It was perfect.


End file.
